I wrote about it yesterday, that sun is nice, but the sweating is less so. It is of course incredibly Dutch to start complaining at the first rays of sunshine that it is now “really very hot again” and that “in the Netherlands it is immediately so humid,” but clichés are based on truths. Since we prefer not to go through life drenched in our own sweat and looking like a drowned rat, we have it in this Explorer on how to endure the heat.

Makeup

Of course, you can score big points with your clothing, but makeup is also important. A face full of foundation will stick and stain and it gives you a warmer feeling. Apply some foundation around your eyes and on small imperfections but leave the jar aside. A powder with a mattifying effect you put in your bag and use to touch up a bit during the day if necessary. Also in your bag, a pack of tissues to subtly dab your forehead, neck, and upper lip dry.

Hair

Women with long hair know how incredibly hot that sticky hair on your neck can be, so during heat, hair ties are your best friend. My hair always goes totally uncontrollably frizzy when the air is so damn humid, so a pack of bobby pins and a can of hairspray are standard in my bag.

Jewelry

I would wear as little as possible. Everything sticks to your skin and that just feels really uncomfortable. Moreover, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings can get really hot from the sun, so you are actually carrying different sources of heat on your body all the time, and that is not fun for anyone.

Clothing

In really hot countries with deserts and such, people wrap themselves in large pieces of fabric to regulate their own body temperature. That’s probably not something you’re going to try, so you have to approach it differently. Of course, you can indulge in short skirts, dresses, and shorts, but those who need to dress somewhat businesslike have nothing to gain from that. A few years ago, I worked as a consultant at such a consultancy firm (it was a phase, I was incredibly unhappy there and never want to deal with South Axis-like scenes again) and was not allowed to wear anything above the knee. Also no heels higher than 6 centimeters – it was a drama. Anyway, to combat the heat, large pleated skirts turned out to be ideal. Stay far away from synthetic fabrics, you sweat faster and more in them, but it is also more visible. Cotton and linen are great. Be careful with silk, sweat stains are very visible in that. Furthermore, white, black, cream, and sand are good colors, gray is terrible, in that every drop of sweat is immediately visible.

Shoes

Shoes are tricky. Of course, you can wear flip-flops all summer, but that’s not really very stylish either. The downside of many high heels, especially pumps, is that they feel like they are a size too small halfway through the day because your feet are swelling nicely. Open sandals do the trick, or well-broken-in wedges where at least your toes have some freedom.

Water

Water is of course super important, but a sticky and warm bottle of sparkling water is downright depressing. So throw a few bottles in the freezer (don’t fill the bottle all the way to the top because then it will burst) and take them with you. The ice will melt naturally, and you will always have ice-cold water at hand. What is also wonderful are those Evian Facial Sprays, just spray your face and voila, you feel wonderfully fresh again. A cheaper solution is to fill a plant spray with water and put it on your desk. You can also put that plant spray in the freezer for a while.

Furthermore, you have of course applied a high factor sunscreen well, your legs and armpits are nicely shaved, and your toenails look impeccable. I would say, let that sun come.